Window shielding device



Sept. 18, 1934. w, B, ARNOLD WINDOW SHIELDING DEVICE Filed Sept. 18, 1933 l atented Sept. l8, i934 PA EN 1,974,003 WINDOW SHIELDING DEVICE Wilfred Bolton Arnold, near Chatham, Ontario,

' Canada Application SeptemberlS, i933, Serial No. 690,010 Claims. (01. 15610) This invention relates to automatically operable window coverings or shielding devices, and

an object of the invention is to provide appara-v tus attachable to a window sash designed to protect an enclosure against rain when the window is opened.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simplified form of means which will automat ically operate to cover the opening between the frame and sash when the window is in a raised position when rain commences; to fall.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement which can be manually operated if necessary.

A still further object of the invention-is to provide a construction of this character which can be manufactured as a unit at a comparatively low cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of a fitting secured to the sash of the window,v the fitting including a roller and curtain mechanism for holding the roller against movement and an arrangement for the 1 reception of water to actuate the mechanism to release the roller and permit the curtain to protect the opening. The device also includes means for manually operating the mechanism as wellas means for returning the roller to normal position, as more fully described in the specification .and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

. In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a window sash and frame, partly in section, the sash carrying the attachment comprising the 'present inventon, which is shown in side elevation with one end of the framework removed.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism on a reduced scale.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and V Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of a ratchet member on one end of the roller showing the manner in which it fits within the. channelshaped retaining lever.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, A indicates the sash of the window and B indicates the unit designed to be attached thereto for protecting the opening in the window frame when the sash is raised. This unit comprises the end plates 10 between which the roller 11 is rotatably mounted. The roller carries a curtain or shield 12, the outer end of which may be provided with a weighted bar or the like 13 so that if the roller is free to move, the curtain will f'i until stopped by some lower object, such as the window sill or until it reaches the limit of its length. The length of the curtain would be arranged so that it would cover any opening made between the lower part of the sash and the frame within the limit of movement of the sash.

' On one end, the roller is provided with a ratchet plate, notched wheel or toothed member 14 which-is provided with'ratchet teeth or shoulders l5 and, as shown in Figure 1, these teeth or shoulders serve to hold the roller against rotative movement when they contact with the obstructing member. According to the present invention, means is provided to hold the roller and thus the curtain or shield against movement. W1 This takes the form of a lever 16 pivoted from one end plate at 17 and extending into engage ment' with the ratchet plate 14.

As noted from Figures 1 andi the lever 16 is of channel formation, being recessed at one end as at 18 to permit the teeth of the ratchet plate to extend "therethrough so that a part of the lever next to the recess normally extends in the path of and is designed to abut the teeth 15 of the ratchet plate. The outer end of the lever 16 is slotted as at 19 which is designed to receive a restricted projection 20 on one end of a balanced operating lever 21 which in combination with a trough-like member referred to hereinafter forms balanced mechanical and automatically operable means for releasing the curtain or shield to cover an opening between the sash and window frame (see Figure 3) The balanced operating lever is pivoted as at 22 in a bracket from the frame of the device extending between the end plates 10, and is connected at its opposite end by means of a rivet or the like 23 with a trough-like member 24. A bracket or the like 25 is provided to serve as a guide preventing any possibility of the trough from swinging out of position and interfering with any part of the structure. In addition this retains the trough directly below the point at which the water is introduced to the casing. The operating lever 21 is of U-shaped formation (as'shown in Fig. 1) and at that end remote from the trough the counter balance weight 21 The weight is adjustable by means of the flat metal strips 22 so that the lever may beset to overloalance for a given weight of water. v

The trough 24 and lever 21 are encased within the general framework indicated at 26. (see Figure 1 particularly) which also extends over' the roller, the upper surface of the casing being sloped downwardly and outwardly as at 2'7 until it reaches a point just above the trough, where it extends horizontally for a short distance as at 28, terminating in a wall 29. In the horizontal portion 28 just above the trough a plurality of holes 30 are drilled.

Thus, when rain strikes the pane of the window and drops to the upper surface of the casing, it will flow down the'inclined surface 27 to the horizontal surface 28' and pass through the openings 30 into the trough. When the trough is weighted by the water entering it in this manner, the operating lever 21 will be caused to swing about its pivot, thus swinging the retaining lever 15 about its pivot, so that the retaining lever 16 is dropped downwardly out of engagement with the ratchet plate 14. At this point the roller is free'to move and the eight 13 will cause the curtain to drop by gravity over the opening, thus protecting the enclosure from rain.

The opposite end of lever 16, it will be noted, projects adjacent to the sash and terminates in a curved surface 31. Projecting through the window at an incline is a plunger 32 which is spring heid as at 33, the lower end of which projects adjacent to the surface 31 of lever 16. Consequently by pressing the plunger the lever 16 can be manually moved out of engagement with the ratchet plate to drop the our tain at any time desired. On the opposite end of roller 11 are a pair of discs 34 betweenrwhich a cord 35 is wound on the roller. This will I wind on the roller when the curtain falls and consequently by drawing on the cord which is designed to pass through to the interioroi the enclosure the roll can be readily rotated to bring it back to its normal position with the curtain drawn up.

For the purpose of returning the mechanism to normal position after the rain has ceased the bottom of the trough is provided with a. small drainage opening 36 in any suitable position. Thus a few minutes after the rain has stopped the trough is drained and the mechanism returns to its normal position. The retaining member 16 is therefore engaged with the notched wheel or ratchet plate 14 so that when the cord 35 is pulled and the curtain rolled up, the roller will be held against movement.

Various modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the claims, and therefore, the exact forms shown are to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense, and I desire that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art or are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A window shielding device comprising a shield mountable on the windowsash within the window frame, and automatic means including a gravity operated trough-like member operable under rainy weather conditions .for dropping said shield over an opening between the sash and frame.

2. A window shielding device mountable on a sash in a frame comprising a casing mounted on the window sash, a shield member, means for holding said shield inactive, and automatically operable means including a trough-like gravity operated member for dropping said shield over an opening between the sash and the frame under rainy weather conditions.

3. A window shielding device mountable on a sash in a frame comprising a shield, means for holding said shield inactive, automatic means including a gravity operated trough-like member operable under rainy weather conditions for releasing said holding means to drop said shield over an opening between the sash and frame, and manually operable means for releasing said holding means.

.4. A window shielding device mountable on a sash in a frame comprising a shield, means for holding said shield inactive, and balanced automatically resettable mechanical means operable under rainy weather conditions for releasing said shield to cover an opening between the sash and window frame.

5. A window shielding device mountable on a sash in a frame comprising a roller curtain, means acting to hold said roller against movement, and automatically resettable means operable under rainy weather conditions to release said roller to drop said curtain over an opening between the window sash and frame.

6. A window shielding device mountable on a sash in a frame comprising a shield, means for holding said shield inactive, and balanced mechanical means including a trough-like member gravity operable under rainy weather conditions for releasing-said shield to cover an opening between the sash and window frame.

7. A window shielding device mountable on a sash in a frame comprising a roller curtain mounted on said sash, a retaining member designed to hold the roller against movement, a balanced operating lever connected with said retaining member, a trough connected with the operating lever, means for directing water to said trough to overbalance the operating lever and release the retaining member, whereby under rainy weather conditions said curtain is dropped over an opening between the window frame and sash.

8. A window shielding device mountable on a sash in a frame comprising a roller curtain, a retaining member designed to hold the roller against movement, and means including a gravity operated trough-like member for releasing said "retaining member whereby said curtain may be dropped over an opening between the window frame and sash.

9. A window shielding device mountable on a window sash within a frame comprising a roller curtain having a toothed member mounted on the roller, a pivotally mounted retaining member designed normally to abut and hold against rotation the toothed member, a pivotally mounted balanced operating lever engaging with said retaining member, and means connected with the operating lever designed to receive water under rainy weather conditions whereby said operating lever is overbalanced releasing said retaining member to drop said curtain over an opening between the sash and the frame.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9 in which the roller is encased within a casing, the upper surface of said casing being sloped, a portion of the casing below the slope being orificed to permit water to pass therethrough, and the means for receiving water including a trough'mounted within the casing below said orifice.

WILFRED BOLTON ARNOLD. 

